This proposal will use the resources of Tachypleus tridentatus (horseshoe crab) to develop the reagent for Limulus test, adjuvant for animal vaccines, cancer-cell inhibitor, bacteria growth inhibitor in a three-year study. The hemolymph from horseshoe crab contains a major component of lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-binding protein and which has been characterized and developed for the Limulus test to detect the bacterial contaminant, a cell-wall component of gram negative bacteria, in medical reagent used for humans. The sensitivity of Limulus test was compared to the traditional test by injecting the specimens into rabbits with higher sensitivity of 250 fold. Previously, the Penchu Marine Biology Research Center, council of Agriculture, has investigated the natural resource of horseshoe crab in the ocean of Penchu region and studied the performance of horseshoe crab including the breeding, feeding and collection of hemolymph. Based on their studies, we will use the hemolymph components to develop the detection kit for Limulus test and the adjuvant for animal vaccines. We will also determine whether the hemolymph could be used as a bacteria growth inhibitor. These studies will reveal whether hemolymph from horseshoe crab would offer as a high-price reagent for commercialization.
|